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There has been a lot of debate about if it is possible to graft bananas. If there is some actual proof for either side, could someone please post it.

Hello, everyone ! This the notorious Mauro Gibo again hitting the same key ! Bananas trees can be grafted ! Here is a link for you interested in the subject: CARE - Virtual Field Trip - Bolivia - Journal Entries - Day 4
please search for it in the google.
A also visited the birth place of Matsuo Basho, the father of the Japanese Banana, Musa Basjoo, here in Japan. Please check my videos Matsuo Basho's Birth Place from I~IV: mauro-gibo videos on Dailymotion
I am very sorry for the big confusion I have made. But I will always follow my own heart even if I am at the final courtain. Thank you for your precious time.
Yours Sincerely,
Mauro Gibo.

Last edited by Mauro Gibo : 05-23-2009 at 06:52 PM.
Reason: "Let nothing in the world be unknown to you!"

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If there is one thing that I have learned in my pursuit of science it is that there are no absolute facts. Predictable outcomes are sometimes skewed by the slightest variables and "experimental error".
It seems that we always want to be correct or right about something, yet variations and aberrations occur. What one believes or does not believe is immaterial to all possible outcomes. Just when you feel that you have a grasp on mother nature, she throws us a curveball. The only certainty in science is that nothing is 100% certain.

It's so odd that this thread was linked back to today. I found an article early this morning and wanted to look this thread up to post my reply, but got too busy.
In an article concerning plant parasites: "Plants often use small RNA molecules as messengers between different parts of [the plant]. Findings have shown that RNA can travel from a graft into the rest of the plant, affecting leaf shape, and helping the parasite synchronize it's life cycle with that of the host plant.
Is this relevant? Could this be what's going on in these grafts?

It's so odd that this thread was linked back to today. I found an article early this morning and wanted to look this thread up to post my reply, but got too busy.
In an article concerning plant parasites: "Plants often use small RNA molecules as messengers between different parts of [the plant]. Findings have shown that RNA can travel from a graft into the rest of the plant, affecting leaf shape, and helping the parasite synchronize it's life cycle with that of the host plant.
Is this relevant? Could this be what's going on in these grafts?

First of all, Lagniappe, thank you for your comment on the subject.
This is no politics, this is philosophy. There are three things I choose and cherish:
To care! If i care I have no fear.
To be fair! If am fair, I will not be selfish.
To be humble! If I'm humble I know I will grow.
My experiment is very simple. Most people think I am stupid in trying to prove something impossible. But is it really impossible? How sure can we be?
There are so many things in nature that we don't know yet. Most young people think they have a lot of knowlege about the skill of grafting, which I agree. But they have forgotten one thing. Wisdom and knowlege are two different things. I've been working with plants for many decades. I know every plant has a different behavior. for example you can't graft a Japanese Cherry tree. The stock will not send water to the scion. The scion without water will dry out and die. So you have to propagate such trees in a different way.
I have grafted many banana cultivars and I am waiting for the results. I know it will take time. One thing I can tell you I have nothing to lose. I already have one foot in the tomb. The vultures are flying over my head but I intend to disappoint them. I have only one aim and that is to prove that banana pups can be grafted successfuly. Anyway, thank your for your precious information.
Best Regards,
Mauro Gibo.

Last edited by Mauro Gibo : 11-30-2009 at 12:30 AM.
Reason: To prove that backyard scientists have something good to say

It's so odd that this thread was linked back to today. I found an article early this morning and wanted to look this thread up to post my reply, but got too busy.
In an article concerning plant parasites: "Plants often use small RNA molecules as messengers between different parts of [the plant]. Findings have shown that RNA can travel from a graft into the rest of the plant, affecting leaf shape, and helping the parasite synchronize it's life cycle with that of the host plant.
Is this relevant? Could this be what's going on in these grafts?

It's so odd that this thread was linked back to today. I found an article early this morning and wanted to look this thread up to post my reply, but got too busy.
In an article concerning plant parasites: "Plants often use small RNA molecules as messengers between different parts of [the plant]. Findings have shown that RNA can travel from a graft into the rest of the plant, affecting leaf shape, and helping the parasite synchronize it's life cycle with that of the host plant.
Is this relevant? Could this be what's going on in these grafts?

First, this assumes that the plants can be successfully and viably grafted together, since we are talking about bananas, I still have not seen any convincing evidence that any banana grafting has actually taken place. Attempting to graft is much different from actually producing a graft.

Second, one must be very careful about applying information from one study to something completely different, this goes for anything (but especially so with these intricate and poorly understood biological systems in this case). To me, reading that pathogenic messenger RNA can travel from graft to scion of a unknown plant species and have some kind of an affect means nothing in regards to grafting bananas together to create somatic hybrids. They are in different realms and there is nothing to correlate them. Even if grafting bananas can be done physiologically, there still is no evidence that one portion could affect another in bananas, mainly since I don't think anyone has ever actually grafted bananas successfully to even begin the tests.

For me and most people I have talked to about this subject, there is a critical lack of evidence. I don't mean to offend anyone here (and Mauro, I know you are reading this, please don't think I'm trying to tear you down, I'm just approaching this curious case the same way as I do anything in my life), I am as curious as anyone about if this works or not in some way. Im not trying to prove banana grafting as possible or impossible, but whichever way it is, there needs to be evidence to back it up. So far, I have an immense amount of evidence that it does not work, and no evidence that it does.

The goal of science is not to prove that something can be done, it is to test if something can be done.

__________________
Growing bananas in Colorado, Hawaii and Washington since 2004.

Thanks , Gabe.
I'll admit that it's reaching, but got a little excited when I read about this.
I did think the RNA communication was part of the plant, and not the parasite, and thought that it was this mechanism that was affecting the leaf changes from the grafted sections to other parts of the plant.

First, this assumes that the plants can be successfully and viably grafted together, since we are talking about bananas, I still have not seen any convincing evidence that any banana grafting has actually taken place. Attempting to graft is much different from actually producing a graft.

Second, one must be very careful about applying information from one study to something completely different, this goes for anything (but especially so with these intricate and poorly understood biological systems in this case). To me, reading that pathogenic messenger RNA can travel from graft to scion of a unknown plant species and have some kind of an affect means nothing in regards to grafting bananas together to create somatic hybrids. They are in different realms and there is nothing to correlate them. Even if grafting bananas can be done physiologically, there still is no evidence that one portion could affect another in bananas, mainly since I don't think anyone has ever actually grafted bananas successfully to even begin the tests.

For me and most people I have talked to about this subject, there is a critical lack of evidence. I don't mean to offend anyone here (and Mauro, I know you are reading this, please don't think I'm trying to tear you down, I'm just approaching this curious case the same way as I do anything in my life), I am as curious as anyone about if this works or not in some way. Im not trying to prove banana grafting as possible or impossible, but whichever way it is, there needs to be evidence to back it up. So far, I have an immense amount of evidence that it does not work, and no evidence that it does.

The goal of science is not to prove that something can be done, it is to test if something can be done.

Hi, Gabe, Nice to meet you. I knew you would be the last one to speak or give your point of view. You are young and have your whole future ahead of you. You are very careful because wrong words could hurt your career. With me things are different, I'm an old man. I've been to hell and back many times, I also died many times. And the there is one thing I'm not afraid of, that is: I am not afraid to make mistakes, because we learn from our mistakes. Maybe, the first mistake I did was to call the union of two different kind of bananas, grafting. Grafting is really something different. At the time I didn't find a proper word to name my unusual experiment. Even today, I still don't have a matching word for it. But for me it doen't really matter. I firmly believe that it is my challenging spirit that really matters. When I went to college I thought my teachers where great and that they were genius. Now, I know that they were just living encyclopedias passing on informations they had acquired in the past. Another thing I found out is that I am more powerful than a computer. Why?
Because I can think and the computer can't. I work as a translator for a large Japanese Corporation which has many factories around the world and translantion is a must. I wrote a sentence in Japanese to be translated into English. the sentence was: When you notice anything wrong with the product tell your superior immeditely. The computer translated: When the handicapped erupts, tell your superior at once. See what I mean? Now, let's go back to my experiment. I know that about 80 countries of temperate climates near the equator produce bananas. If by any chance I get a cold hardy banana variety, I'm sure going to change the banana belt.
I appreciate your comment. One more sore for a lepper won't make any difference. I will keep going one, because I know I am in the right track.
Thanks.
P.S. Don't pay attention to this old mule.
Bye.
Mauro Gibo

And the there is one thing I'm not afraid of, that is: I am not afraid to make mistakes, because we learn from our mistakes. Maybe, the first mistake I did was to call the union of two different kind of bananas, grafting. Grafting is really something different. At the time I didn't find a proper word to name my unusual experiment. Even today, I still don't have a matching word for it. But for me it doesn't really matter. I firmly believe that it is my challenging spirit that really matters. When I went to college I thought my teachers where great and that they were genius. Now, I know that they were just living encyclopedias passing on informations they had acquired in the past. Another thing I found out is that I am more powerful than a computer. Why?
Because I can think and the computer can't. I work as a translator for a large Japanese Corporation which has many factories around the world and translantion is a must. I wrote a sentence in Japanese to be translated into English. the sentence was: When you notice anything wrong with the product tell your superior immediately. The computer translated: When the handicapped erupts, tell your superior at once. See what I mean? Now, let's go back to my experiment. I know that about 80 countries of temperate climates near the equator produce bananas. If by any chance I get a cold hardy banana variety, I'm sure going to change the banana belt.
I appreciate your comment. One more sore for a leper won't make any difference. I will keep going one, because I know I am in the right track.
Thanks.
P.S. Don't pay attention to this old mule.
Bye.
Mauro Gibo

Mauro-san,
Trying to prove to yourself something that you have learned from what other cultures have done should be gratifying. Sharing them with others is an act of kindness. So, do not worry about semantics or technicalities. With your experiments, the only mistake you will make is if you don't try. Already it appears that you have succeeded in combining halves of two different varieties of banana and have grown them to the point that they are one plant and are producing pups. In a few months time, you will find out if the fruit they will produce will be like the one or the other variety, or as luck would have it, celebrate the fact that it is a combination of the two!!! I applaud your determination, and look forward to your announcement that the fruit is a hybrid and would be honored to be one of the first to congratulate you on your success! So, please keep us posted.

Quote:

Originally Posted by harveyc

Mauro, you don't look that much older than me in your videos. I thought Chong was the old man around here!

You know that I would be reading this, and I humbly thank you for the compliment.

So, Mauro-san, if you are also reading this, you should listen to the wise old man.

Mauro-san,
Trying to prove to yourself something that you have learned from what other cultures have done should be gratifying. Sharing them with others is an act of kindness. So, do not worry about semantics or technicalities. With your experiments, the only mistake you will make is if you don't try. Already it appears that you have succeeded in combining halves of two different varieties of banana and have grown them to the point that they are one plant and are producing pups. In a few months time, you will find out if the fruit they will produce will be like the one or the other variety, or as luck would have it, celebrate the fact that it is a combination of the two!!! I applaud your determination, and look forward to your announcement that the fruit is a hybrid and would be honored to be one of the first to congratulate you on your success! So, please keep us posted.

You know that I would be reading this, and I humbly thank you for the compliment.

So, Mauro-san, if you are also reading this, you should listen to the wise old man.

Chong

Mr. Chong, it's a pleasure to hear from you. I'm trying to be tough and stay away from you guys, but I can't. We share the same ideals, we love and care for tropical plants. To grow bananas in this cold country is my passion. The Japanese love Bonsai, to tell you the truth I don't care much about Bonsai, because I know a lot of people who have bonsais centuries old. I could never compete with them. But with banana plants is another thing. The Japanese do not have experimented with banana plants yet. So here I am, doing my thing in my own way, like I did in the 60's and 70's. The wrinkles in my face are my annual rings. Mr. Chong I know you are wise and I respect you. It's part of our culture here in Japan to respect the older people because we know they are wise. Your words make me feel good. It won't be long now. My bananas are growing well just like I expected.
Pretty soon I will have enough proof of my success. Thank you very much for standing by me. I promise I will not disappoint you. The Japanese taught me to be persistent. I always mean what I say. I will be in touch.
Once again thank you very much.
Much Obliged. Muito Obrigado.
Mauro Gibo

Last edited by Mauro Gibo : 12-01-2009 at 08:10 AM.
Reason: A word of gratitude to Mr. Chong. 謝謝！

Its good to hear from you Mauro! how is Japan thees days? Keep you feet warm and drink tea. I'm still vary excited about your experiment hopping it is the way but only time will tell as you say. do you celebrate Christmas if so have a good one
Paulo

__________________Helping to foster understanding for the learning disabled

Its good to hear from you Mauro! how is Japan thees days? Keep you feet warm and drink tea. I'm still vary excited about your experiment hopping it is the way but only time will tell as you say. do you celebrate Christmas if so have a good one
Paulo

Hi Paulo! It's really nice to hear from you. I sure drink a lot of tea. Especially after I got diabetes, my mouth is always dry. My eye sight is not very good either, but that doesn't stop me from grafting banana pups.
The bananas I've grafted are already very tall and they have many baby pups. There is one big problem, though. The winter has come. Everyday it gets colder and colder. The leaves of my bananas are turning yellow. This coming year is very important to me. It's the year which will decide my fate.
Loser or Winner! If my crossbred bananas survive the winter and bloom in the spring I will be a champion. If they die I will be just a big joker and people will laugh at me. Let's sit and wait: Que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be.

Are you a banana plant enthusiast? Then we hope you will join the community. You will gain access to post, create threads, private message, upload images, join groups and more.

Bananas.org is owned and operated by fellow banana plant enthusiasts. We strive to offer a non-commercial community to learn and share information. Receive all three issues from Volume 1 of Bananas Magazine with your membership:

well I'm not 100% on what belive I just saw but it looked very interesting. I would like to hear or read more on it. I hope what is being done in the video is really a art( i mean no disrespect) and will look for future post. And thanks for the info.

can some please explain in more detail how the grafting is done or performed?

Just to clarify, please note that the term "grafting" as used in this thread is not the same as conventional grafting, where you might have a rootstock to which one or several different varieties of scions are grafted onto in order to have different varieties of trees or plant. In this case, both scion and rootstock of two different varieties are halved and two different halves are fused together to form a "graft" and form a single pseudostem.

The following videos posted by Mauro shows how they do it in Japan. The videos used to be linked in this thread, but somehow I can't find them. I got these from my saved files.